When I exclusively reported earlier this month that Millennium Films was planning a massive stunt with the cast of The Expendables 3 storming the Croisette today, I had a feeling it would be rather extraordinary — but I didn’t know it would end up to be one of the most entertaining events I’ve attended in 17 years in Cannes. The action brigade rolled into town this morning – on tanks no less – giving throngs of onlookers something to gawk at, and journalists inside a packed press conference the hourlong thrill of seeing mega-franchise stars riffing on everything from their advancing age to the state of today’s action films, how their competitiveness has waned from the ’80s and why this movie will be PG-13. “We are children with arthritis, we are young forever,” said writer- star Sylvester Stallone to great applause when he was asked how he and his cronies will know when it’s time to hang it up on actioners. He added, “I think if you wake up in the morning and your ass falls off, it’s time to retire.”

For now, the franchise isn’t eyeing retirement. It has made about $580M at the global box office so far. But both of the first films were rated R. This one is going out PG-13. Stallone explained, “We want to reach as many people as possible. It’s very close to an R, believe me, it’s right there. But I think we owe it to the next generation. We thought we’d join that club for a while.”

Stallone was surrounded by co-stars Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Harrison Ford, Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Kelsey Grammer, Randy Couture, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Glen Powell and Victor Ortiz. Also there were director Patrick Hughes and producer Avi Lerner. Hughes, who starts shooting The Raid for Screen Gems in September, kicked off the proceedings earlier in the morning at a screening of footage from the film which included behind-the-scenes interviews. From the stage at the Olympia theater he said the movie was a “big fat piece of popcorn.” The footage included a take of Statham driving a truck whose brakes failed leading he and a camera crew to drive off a wharf and into the sea in Bulgaria where the film was shot. The accident, which occurred on Day 3 of the shoot, fortunately resulted in no injuries, Hughes told me later. Statham was pulled from the water, dried off and returned to do redo the scene, with brakes.

After the screening, folks trundled to the Carlton Hotel to await the gang who rode in on tanks shipped over from the UK and made their way into the press conference. Stallone was asked what will be different about this film and he said, “With the first one, I didn’t know which direction to go. It was experimental, more dramatic and heavier. In the second one, I think we went too far in the comedy and one liners. (For the third film) I realized we should get back to being more dramatic. When men and women know each other, there’s a kind of human comedy, not jokes, but when the action starts I don’t like to do jokes. So, I believe we finally got it right on the third one. It’s kind of like marriage.”

Stallone and Schwarzenegger talked about how action films have changed. “Directors and actors are giving audiences what they want,” Stallone said of today’s movies. “I think we are exactly where we should be. Arnold, Mel and I, we belong to a different generation so we do what we understand… I believe it’s all a matter of evolution and eventually it will revert back.”

The former Governor of California added, “I’ve always been a big fan of action, and great story. That’s what makes The Expendables such a great franchise. I’m happy to be involved in all three, and even happier to be in the next three.”

The assembled press directed most of the questions to the older action stars, but Rousey, who is new to the franchise and one of the only women in the film, said “I’ve been in a lot of crazy situations in my life — the Olympics, UFC title fights… I didn’t know how I would deal, but it felt strangely comfortable confusingly fast.”

Hughes, who is graduating to a big Hollywood production with The Expendables 3, recalled that when he was a kid he had saved up his paper route money to get a camera. His first film was 23 seconds long and pitted his “Rambo action figure setting fire to my Han Solo figurine.” So working with the actors behind those roles was surreal.

Ford, a newcomer to the franchise, said he had a lot of fun making the movie “It’s a great bunch of guys – and lady – to work with.” Unsurprisingly, he was also asked about revisiting Star Wars. “I’m delighted to be involved. We’ve got a great script and director JJ Abrams is at the top of his game.” Then he added, “You know, the dirty little secret of this is that making movies and being an actor is great fun. It’s a great job.” And the audience roared with applause.

With all of these franchise heroes who were atop the box office in the 1980s, is there any lingering competition amongst them? Gibson joked, “Sure, I had my resentments. I wanted to smack down with Sly.” Stallone noted that he and Schwarzenegger “are almost like Ali and Frazier. Thank God for Arnold because he made me work harder.” Schwarzenegger chimed in, “Sly was one of my heroes. Even though we were very competitive, they were inspirations for me.” Not content to leave it so serious, he said that back in the Terminator and Rambo days, they used to check each other out to see who had the bigger muscles and who was using the bigger guns. “We would call each other and say, ‘I just killed this many people, how about you?’”

Then Gibson got his line in, “Competition was stiff in the 80s. I think we can all agree in 2014, it’s not so stiff now.”

17 Comments

It’s a great business move. You just know all the kids are eagerly awaiting the next Stallone/Schwarzenegger collab. It’s all they ever talk about.

Hoooray for PG-13!!

Thomas • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

They could pull off the biggest stunt in the world at the Croisette — Stallone still wouldn’t appeal to a teenage audience. Those days are gone. Making this pg-13 is pure foolishness. I think the previous two have let the audience know how truly bad these films are. I was a Stallone fan in the 80’s (who wasn’t?). No way I would pay money to see him in a theater anymore.

KEEP DREAMING • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

Now that’s how you make an entrance.

Will Graham • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

It’s been ages since someone did a fun promotional event at Cannes.
Hopefully this will convince others to do so.

The pg-13 rating isn’t going to go down well with fanboys.

Linda • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

Why would they pick that jackass gipson? This a movie I will not see.

Dante • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

You know he’s playing the villain, right?

Sal Santa Fe • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

Very good!

StunOne • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

Harrison Ford.. and Mel (if he does another Lethal) are the only ones in this cast who are real stars anymore. Harrison has Star Wars, Indy 5 and Blade Runner. Mel has 2 Oscars and another Lethal Weapon if he chooses. Arnie has a failed poilitical career and a son nobody knew about. Stallone has a HGH and hairplugs. Who’s gonna pay money to see this?

Riley • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

PG-13? Sorry Sly. Your fans that grew up with your movies enjoy the R rated action. We don’t need to see you shooting cars or cutting away when someone gets shot to a reaction shot instead of seeing the violence. I was planning on seeing this in the theaters, but now this is a Netflix movie at best.

Sincerely,

A Big Fan of 80s Action Movies

hobowithapotatogun • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

Indeed, way to alienate your audience for a demographic who have zero interest in the film anyway.

Gil • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

I will see it opening night. But it will probably suck.

Mayweather • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

Let’s stop pretending anybody will see E3 in a theatre. Everybody knows this is Netflix bait.

No Terry Crews on the Croisette? Only one brother at a time?

Anonymous • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

COULD THIS BE THE END OF…”RICO” ?

Anonymous • on May 18, 2014 4:45 am

PG RATING?
WHY BOTHER MAKIN THE THING A THIRD TIME?
THIS IS A WRAP….IM AFRAID.

The film is PG13 I’m guessing Sly has some confidence in the material to appeal to a mass audience and since the the first two Expendable movies made well over $500 million at the box office (two of the best action movies in recent years) that’s a good sign.

However I hope he releases an uncut version on bluray when the time comes – I remember original The Expendables movie, there are two versions of it on Bluray here in UK The first one is the normal 15 rated one which was released in the theatres and the other is the uncut 18 rated bluray with all the violence and bad language.

The difference between the R rating and PG13 rating is mainly the bad language and sex scenes. And because the Expendables movies have none of our very little of the sex or bad language in them they could easily make them a PG13 and keep the powerful action violence in them without damaging the movies.

I can’t wait to see this, all you negative pus**** ranting over over PG13, who gives a F***. Like Sly (one of my many EXP heroes said, this will attract the younger crowd also.) remember when we we’re kids, I wanted to see everything with Sly, Arnie, Gibson, Statham, Rourke, Seagal, Willis, Lundgren, Ford, Jet Li, Banderas and many others .But I had sneak over to my friends house to watch them because they were “R” rated. PG13 isn’t far off “R” even Sly said it’s real close. Bring on the EXP 3 and I’ll take my nieces and nephews to see it and they will be stoked. Sly nailed it with Randy Couture and a Terry Crews as middle aged blood. As for the future “Youngblood” try Mark Wahlberg, Channing Tatum, Vin Diesel, Jeffery Donovan, Gabrielle Reece and Coby Bell from “Burn Notice”, maybe The Rock, and John Cena, Chris Hemsworth from “Thor”for sure. And end even get some real life badasses like Ethan Hawke and Joe Teti, maybe even Bear Grills. These guys already have seen real combat and they are actors, I’m sure they could hold themselves. You’ll see me in the theatre when this comes out for sure. And I’m 37, and these are still my heroes. I have many more ideas for this franchise but I’m not even the low man on the totem pole. Just a huge fan of all these movies and others with these actors, the newer Hollywood kinda sucks with exceptions to Wahlberg movies and some others, Tom Cruise movies forget it….. I’m tired so I’m forgetting things. So goodnight. Email me if you agree or disagree. Or just want more ideas.